Kathleen
Scheaffer

Kathleen Scheaffer Librarian, Outreach and Instructional Services Coordinator, Faculty of Information, University of Toronto (U of T), works closely with current faculty, researchers, professionals, and students to enrich teaching and learning opportunities by providing loci for the application of technical, practical, professional, and theoretical concepts.

Having a strong commitment to outreach initiatives she serves as a specialist in developing, implementing, and creating venues for heritage and information community members to connect with the Faculty of Information Inforum Library’s resources, services, facilities and staff.

During her research leave from 2015-2016, on behalf of the Faculty of Information, Kathleen forged a partnership with the University of British Colombia’s (UBC) Digital Tattoo, http://digitaltattoo.ubc.ca/ As a Digital Tattoo Strategic Co-Lead, she works collaboratively with the other U of T and UBC team members to foster cross-institutional engagement in digital identity discussions.

Kathleen was nominated by the previous UTFA Librarians Committee Chair, recommended by the University of Toronto Faculty Association (UTFA) Nominating Committee, and approved by UTFA Council on May 19, 2015 as the 2016-2018 Chair of the UTFA Librarians Committee. As the Librarians Committee Chair and member of the UTFA Executive she is invested in ensuring that the U of T librarians’ perspectives are represented and reverberated throughout the University. She serves in this position with a dedication to a collegial, diverse, transparent, and equitable future for academic librarians at the University of Toronto. After 40 years of being frozen, this year, the Policies for Librarians have been brought to the table for modernization. As the UTFA Chief Negotiator for this bargaining table, she is is seeking modernized Policies for Librarians that reflect our community’s priorities, the current academic landscape, and the pertinent roles of librarians within the University of Toronto.

Research

Kathleen’s research interests and pursuits stretch across an array of information studies topics, including: collaboration, social media, mobile phone usage, digital identity literacy, the changing role of the library within and information-based economy, and the intersection of mindfulness resources, spaces, and programs within universities and colleges. Her current research examines how practices of connection to ourselves, information, ideas, and each other in physical and digital environments can be shaped by concrete and emergent resources, spaces, programs, policies, terms, and guidelines.